


Prequel 1

by BarryandCisco_FlashVibe



Series: ONEUS OT6 Stories [2]
Category: ONEUS (Band)
Genre: Courting Rituals, Fictional Historical Setting, Keonhee mentioned, Leedo mentioned, M/M, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, References to fictional religious rituals, Seoho mentioned, Xion mentioned - Freeform, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:40:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28936434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarryandCisco_FlashVibe/pseuds/BarryandCisco_FlashVibe
Summary: Kings Ravn and Hwanwoong meet to create an alliance between their kingdoms.
Relationships: Kim Youngjo | Ravn/Lee Seoho/Yeo Hwanwoong, Kim Youngjo | Ravn/Yeo Hwanwoong, Kim Youngjo/Lee Seoho/Kim Geonhak/Yeo Hwanwoong, Kim Youngjo/Yeo Hwanwoong/Lee Seoho/Kim Geonhak/Lee Keonhee, Ravn/Hwanwoong/Seoho/Leedo/Keonhee
Series: ONEUS OT6 Stories [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1911100
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	1. Hwanwoong

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first prequel to Story 1. There is a lot of world building and blending of different historical time periods, because of inspiration from the MVs and Story Films from Come Back Home, To Be or Not to Be and a little bit from No Diggity.

Ravn waited anxiously as his attendants washed his body with scented waters blessed by the goddess Selene herself. Tonight, was the most important festival honoring his patron goddess. As king, and one of the moon goddess’, most devoted followers, he had to have his body purified before he entered her temple with their offerings to her. It was only the second time since becoming king that the blue moon had fallen in autumn. A big deal for his kingdom since they relied so heavily on agriculture for trade. He could not mess this up.

He took a steadying breath as he stood, and his attendants dried him off. He focused on his breathing as he was covered in scented oils and then draped in slightly transparent fabrics. Leaving behind his usually conservative clothes that covered him from neck-to-toe, for the traditional clothing for the festival that left him so exposed, always left him feeling anxious. His body and soul were supposed to belong to Selene, and whatever consort she chose for him, not to be seen by any other mortal eyes, but he wouldn’t upset the goddess, or the priests, by protesting traditions.

“Okay, your highness, it’s time,” his advisor said from where he was standing by the door. He had been watching the attendants with a critical eye the entire time they worked. Not one step could be missed or messed up tonight.

“Okay, Yonghoon, let’s go,” Ravn said after a few calming breaths.

Yonghoon graced him with a warm smile. “No need to be nervous, your highness. Selene loves you,” he said, leading Ravn out of his bathing chambers and out into the courtyard.

Ravn made sure to follow Yonghoon at a greater distance than he would usually so they had no chance of brushing against each other. He could not be touched by anyone now that his body had been ritually purified, not until the festival was complete. He smiled softly when he saw the strong bull huffing and straining against the rope he was restrained by. The bull stilled when it noticed Ravn’s presence. Ravn had hand-picked this bull as a calf, specifically for this festival, and then raised it himself. They had a strong bond, that would come in handy for not getting killed on the long trek from his palace to Selene’s temple.

He stepped closer to the bull and held his hand out for him to inspect. The bull huffed when it took in the smell of the scented oils, but he remained calm, even mooing at Ravn instead of snorting angrily.

“I’ll never understand why you chose that bull. He’s a handful. It took four handlers just to get him here,” Yonghoon said with a huff.

“Selene will love him. He’s spirited,” Ravn said with a smirk. He untied the rope from where it was secured to a sturdy pillar and urged the bull to begin following him down the road.

“Safe journey, your highness,” Yonghoon whispered.

“I’ll see you again with Selene’s blessing,” Ravn said, reciting the words he knew by heart. He reveled in the relative privacy of this part of the journey. Selene’s temple was on the outskirts of the city, so he would have to pass through the streets that would undoubtedly be packed with his subjects wanting to observe their most pious king partaking in such an important ritual.

~*~*~*~*~

Ravn took the rope off the bull’s neck and bowed before the beautiful marble statue of Selene. The statue was nothing compared to the true beauty of the moon goddess, but the artist had done his best to capture what he could.

“Rise child,” a tinkling voice said.

Ravn rose slowly, smiling as he looked upon his patron deity. The torchlight glinted off the long, white tresses of her hair and the golden crescent crown on her head. “My lady Selene, I bring this bull as an offering,” Ravn recited.

Selene laughed a small laugh that warmed Ravn’s heart, and said, “I accept, and give my blessing to your kingdom.”

Ravn bowed deeply, head shooting up when she said, “But…”

“But? My lady?” Ravn said, confused that she was breaking from tradition when she never had before.

“Yes. I have a task for you,” Selene said with a smile.

Ravn straightened and said, “Of course, my lady. How can I serve you?”

“There are five kingdoms near to yours that also worship me. I want you to make an alliance with them. My brother is planning something…nefarious… I want you prepared,” Selene said.

“Of course, my lady,” Ravn said, bowing his head.

“Good. Now, let me kiss your cheeks child,” Selene said serenely.

Ravn stepped forward unquestioningly, even though Selene had never requested anything like this before. He closed his eyes as Selene’s warm hand cupped his chin and she kissed both of his cheeks softly. He gasped as he felt a warm tingly sensation throughout his entire body. His eyes fluttered open as she stepped back. Selene smiled at him and said, “I know you won’t abuse that gift,” before disappearing, leaving Ravn to wonder what gift she meant.

~*~*~*~*~

“The five monarchs that Selene wants you to ally with have to be the horse lord Leedo, the child king Xion, the new king Hwanwoong, the peaceful king Keonhee, and the most difficult one, King Seoho, who’s kingdom has been secluded for centuries,” Yonghoon said as he pointed out the respective kingdoms on the map he had laid out on the king’s desk.

“Who do you believe would be the easiest to approach first,” Ravn asked.

“Hwanwoong’s kingdom is still recovering from his father’s reign. They are new converts to Selene, thanks to their new king, so they could either be the hardest or the easiest to approach,” Yonghoon said.

Ravn sighed and rubbed his temples. “And the others?” he said, sitting back more comfortably in his chair.

“King Xion’s kingdom is the furthest away. I would consider meeting with him last. And, although King Leedo’s is the closest, he’s semi-nomadic with his horse lords, guarding their vast territories,” Yonghoon said.

“So, he’ll be the hardest to meet with, but what about convincing him to an alliance?” Ravn said, making small notes in his journal.

Yonghoon hummed and said, “Hard to say. He has one of the strongest militaries in the area, stronger than ours even, and often lends aid to King Keonhee when he needs defense, so he may be open to an alliance.”

“It seems like King Keonhee and King Seoho may be most difficult to approach then,” Ravn asked with a frown.

“I would agree, my lord,” Yonghoon said with a nod.

“Okay then, I’ll send a message to King Hwanwoong first,” Ravn said.

~*~*~*~*~

Hwanwoong frowned when Cya entered his chambers as his attendants were dressing him for the day. He rolled his eyes when Cya eyed the attendants and hastily bowed to Hwanwoong. Practically everyone new Hwanwoong didn’t hold to ceremony and tradition with Cya. The two were practically brothers, and Hwanwoong had never wanted to be king anyway. “What is it Cya,” he asked.

“My lord, we have a message from King Ravn in the east,” Cya said.

Hwanwoong frowned and turned to his attendants and said, “Leave us, please.”

They bowed and left the chamber quietly. Cya watched them go and flopped down on a chair as soon as the heavy door shut behind them. Hwanwoong rolled his eyes again and sat down to eat his breakfast. “King Ravn? I don’t remember my father having dealings with his kingdom,” he said between bites.

“That’s because his kingdom doesn’t often go to war. And King Ravn is a pious king, and would have avoided your father at all cost,” Cya said, snagging a piece of fruit from Hwanwoong’s plate.

“What does the message say? I know you’ve already read it,” Hwanwoong said with a quirked brow.

Cya chuckled nervously and said, “Yeah. I did. Sorry.” Hwanwoong just gave him a look and Cya blushed. “Okay, I’m not sorry. Whatever. He wants to discuss an alliance. He said, during the Blue Moon Festival, Selene gave him a task of creating a great alliance.”

Hwanwoong dropped his fork and winced as it clattered to the floor. “He said that,” Hwanwoong asked softly.

“Yes,” Cya said seriously.

Hwanwoong took a steadying breath and said, “Send a messenger back. Let him know we’d be interested in discussing an alliance.”

“Of course,” Cya said, standing and bowing and smiling at Hwanwoong before running out of the room.

Hwanwoong let out a shaky breath. Selene had requested King Ravn take on this task, during such an important festival that was rooted in tradition and ritual. It was obviously something she felt was extremely important, and Hwanwoong would not disappoint her, not so soon after converting his kingdom to following her.

~*~*~*~*~

Hwanwoong carefully climbed down from his carriage. His eyes widened as he took in the elaborate palace in front of him. Coming from his kingdom, where they were still rebuilding to repair from decades of war from his father’s reign, Hwanwoong was awed by the fountains, trees and even gold inlaid facades on the pillars. King Ravn’s kingdom was one that had obviously been prosperous and without war for a long time.

“King Hwanwoong, welcome,” a tall brunette man said, bowing to Hwanwoong.

“Calm down, Mingi,” Hwanwoong said, as his personal guard moved closer to him and placed a steady hand on the pommel of his sword.

“I apologize for startling you. It must be difficult being in an unknown land. My name is Yonghoon, advisor to King Ravn,” Yonghoon said.

“Mingi’s just being extra protective right now,” Hwanwoong said.

“Understandable. My lord is waiting for you. He’s actually tending to his roses right now,” Yonghoon said, leading them towards the gardens.

“He’s tending to them,” Hwanwoong asked, quirking a brow curiously.

Yonghoon chuckled and said, “The King loves his roses too much to let anyone else care for them.”

Hwanwoong smiled softly, thinking about the type of king who tends to his own garden. His breath caught when they entered the garden, and he got his first glimpse of the other king. The taller man had a beautiful, soft face that seemed to be breathtaking at any angle.

“Oh! You’re here! I’m so sorry to meet you first out in the gardens. You must be tired and hungry from traveling,” Ravn said, smiling warmly at them.

Hwanwoong wasn’t surprised to notice that the man was even more beautiful when he smiled. “A little bit of both. But it’s great to finally meet you,” he said with a smile of his own.

“I thought you might be, so I had the cooks make some lunch. My great grandmother was born in your kingdom, so we actually have some recipes for traditional foods from your homeland. I had the cooks make one of them, hoping it would make you feel more welcome,” Ravn said, leading them into the castle.

“That’s very kind of you,” Hwanwoong said softly. He was extremely grateful for the gesture.

“I figured we could eat in an informal setting so we can talk while we eat and get to know each other. A friendship will be important for an alliance, don’t you think?” Ravn said as they walked through the halls of the castle.

“Of course,” Hwanwoong said a little distractedly as he looked around the castle. It was full of gorgeous decorations, from large elaborate tapestries to delicate looking pottery.

They stepped out onto a balcony that had a small table and overlooked the ocean. Hwanwoong gasped and had to stop himself from rushing forward.

“Oh, is it your first time seeing the sea?” Ravn said, with a curious tilt to his head.

“My kingdom is land-locked, and I’ve never left before now,” Hwanwoong whispered.

“Oh! Yonghoon, have King Hwanwoong’s things moved to a room that overlooks the sea,” Ravn said as he sat down at the table, motioning for Hwanwoong to join him.

“Oh no! You don’t have to go through the trouble,” Hwanwoong insisted as he took the seat to Ravn’s left.

“I insist,” Ravn said simply as Yonghoon left and the servants entered with their lunch.

~*~*~*~*~

Hwanwoong flopped back on the bed in the room King Ravn had provided for him and sighed. It had been a long day. Although Ravn had kept insisting he should rest, Hwanwoong had wanted to see and learn more of this kingdom and the culture before they began discussing the alliance. He also just enjoyed being in the other king’s presence. The man was kind, generous, and had a child-like sense of humor. And when the other man laughed… Hwanwoong sighed just thinking about how beautiful Ravn’s face was.

He rolled over and buried his face in the pillows. Right about now he could have used Cya’s presence so he could talk through how he was feeling, but he had left his best friend in charge while he was away. There was a soft knock on the door to his room and Hwanwoong sat up quickly and said, “Enter.”

Mingi entered with a tray and said, “King Ravn had this brought down for you. Said it’s a tea to help you sleep. He thought you might need it since you’re so far from home.” Mingi placed the tray down on a table and looked at Hwanwoong with a frown. “Shall I taste it first?” he said.

Hwanwoong waved him away and said, “I doubt I was invited all the way here to be poisoned, Mingi.”

“Of course, my lord,” Mingi said, bowing and then returning to his post outside of his door.

Hwanwoong sat on the low couch and poured himself a cup of the tea. He picked up the cup and inhaled the scent, humming at the pleasant fragrance. It smelled familiar, but not at the same time, like he couldn’t quite place where he’d smelled it before. He took a sip and sighed; the light floral taste was perfectly to his taste. He would have to ask Ravn about the tea tomorrow.

~*~*~*~*~

“So, I think our personal guards may like each other,” Ravn said, smirking as he watched Yunho talk with Mingi as the two kings sat discussing the alliance. Or so the two guards thought.

Hwanwoong laughed quietly and said, “I’ve never seen Mingi acting so cute. Don’t tell him I called him cute.”

Ravn laughed and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from his wrath.”

Hwanwoong smiled and laughed with Ravn, but on the inside he had butterflies in his stomach. Did the other man mean to sound flirty? Was Hwanwoong reading too much into their interactions? Hwanwoong couldn’t be sure, and he refused to make a fool out of himself if he said something and was wrong.

“It’s nice to see Yunho smiling, he’s usually so serious,” Ravn said with a fond smile.

“Are you two close,” Hwanwoong asked.

“As close as you and Mingi seem to be,” Ravn said with a knowing look.

“Mingi has been my guard since we were teenagers,” Hwanwoong said with a fond smile.

“Yunho’s family has always guarded my family, and even when we were kids, he was guarding me, even though he’s younger than me,” Ravn said with a smile.

Hwanwoong hummed and said, “They both deserve to be happy.”

“What about you?” Ravn said.

“What about me?” Hwanwoong said with a frown.

“Do you have any suitors or lovers back home,” Ravn asked.

“Oh,” Hwanwoong muttered, avoiding meeting Ravn’s eyes and possibly showing his disappointment. “No. I have no one I’m interested in…back home,” he said slowly.

“Oh,” Ravn said softly. “What about here? Anyone catch your eye here?”

Hwanwoong chuckled nervously and said, “Why are you so interested?”

“Just curious,” Ravn said quickly. He immediately directed the conversation back to talking about the alliance.

~*~*~*~*~

Ravn sighed, for what felt like the millionth time, as his attendants dressed him for bed. “Are you okay, my lord?” Yunho said softly.

“Of course, Yunho. I’m fine,” Ravn said, sighing again.

“You’ve been sighing all night. That’s not you being fine,” Yunho said firmly.

Ravn dismissed his attendants and waited for the door to close behind them before he sat heavily on his bed. “How do you know if you’re…attracted to someone,” Ravn whispered.

“Are you talking about Hwanwoong, my lord,” Yunho asked softly.

Ravn’s head jerked up and he gaped at the younger man. “How…” he muttered.

“I’ve known you my whole life. We’re the closest any servant can be with his king,” Yunho said.

“You’re more than just a servant to me Yunho,” Ravn said with a frown.

“I know. That’s why I know how you feel about King Hwanwoong. How you’ve been feeling since you first laid eyes on him,” Yunho said with a soft smile.

“Am I that obvious?” Ravn muttered, pouting.

Yunho huffed with a smirk and said, “Only to me.”

“So, what do I do,” Ravn asked.

“What do you want to do? You can ignore it, finish the treaty for the alliance and let Hwanwoong go home, never knowing if you could have had something amazing with him. Or, you can tell him how you feel and maybe have more than just an alliance between our kingdoms,” Yunho said.

“You say that as if it’s easy to just confess your feelings,” Ravn muttered, flopping back on the bed.

Yunho chuckled and said, “It isn’t, but it’s better to just do it than not to and never know if they feel the same. If you need more advice or even encouragement, then why don’t you visit the temple tomorrow?”

Ravn sighed and said, “Are you conspiring with Selene now?”

“I’m not sure what you’re implying? Good night, my lord,” Yunho said, smirking and heading out to let Ravn sleep.

~*~*~*~*~

“Oh, Yonghoon!” Hwanwoong said as the man passed him as Hwanwoong was searching for Ravn.

“Yes, your highness?” Yonghoon said, stopping to address the younger man.

“I was looking for King Ravn, do you know where he is?” Hwanwoong said hopefully.

“He went to Selene’s temple early this morning,” Yonghoon said.

“Oh,” Hwanwoong muttered with a frown. “Do you know when he plans to return?”

“Sorry, I don’t. If he went there for guidance then he could be there for a while,” Yonghoon said softly.

“Oh, okay,” Hwanwoong whispered.

“Is there anything I can do for you in the meantime?” Yonghoon said sympathetically.

“No, no. That’s okay, thank you. I’ll just… rest today,” Hwanwoong muttered, walking off without saying anything else to Yonghoon.

~*~*~*~*~

Ravn sighed tiredly as he returned to the palace late that night. He was exhausted but he was satisfied with the results of his talk with Selene. He had been worried she would disapprove, but she had done quite the opposite. She had quite strongly encouraged him to pursue Hwanwoong romantically.

“My lord, welcome back,” Yonghoon said as he descended the stairs to meet Ravn.

“Thank you,” Ravn said with a bright smile.

“King Hwanwoong was looking for you today, and seemed upset that you weren’t here,” Yonghoon said with a smirk.

“Really?” Ravn said, unable to keep his voice from sounding hopeful.

Yonghoon laughed and said, “Yes. I hope your visit was helpful,” before he walked away.

“Do you think it’s too late to check in on him before turning in for the night?” Ravn said.

“That’s entirely up to you,” Yunho said, walking away with a small smirk.

Ravn rolled his eyes as the younger walked away. He took a steadying breath before climbing the stairs and heading towards the other king’s room. “Hello Mingi,” Ravn said when he reached Hwanwoong’s room.

“Good evening, your highness,” Mingi said, bowing.

“Is your king still awake?” Ravn said softly.

“I believe so. Should I announce you, your highness,” Mingi asked.

“Please,” Ravn said eagerly.

“Of course,” Mingi said, nodding before knocking on the door. He entered when indicated and let Hwanwoong know Ravn was wanting to see him. He smirked when his king squeaked and stood quickly from his bed to put his robe on to cover his sleeping garments. “He’ll see you,” Mingi said, exiting the room and leaving the door open for Ravn to enter.

“Hi,” Hwanwoong said as Ravn entered the room.

“Hey,” Ravn said, grinning at the younger man.

“Was there something you needed? It’s quite late, isn’t it?” Hwanwoong said, playing with the ties of his robe nervously.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I just got back from visiting the temple,” Ravn said softly.

“Oh! Well, welcome back then?” Hwanwoong said questioningly.

Ravn chuckled nervously and said, “Actually, I went to talk to her about you.”

“About me!” Hwanwoong asked, brows raising in surprise.

“Yes. I needed her advice about my feelings,” Ravn said.

“Feelings,” Hwanwoong whispered, gripping the ties of his robe tightly.

“Yes,” Ravn said, avoiding meeting Hwanwoong’s gaze. Too scared to see how he would respond.

“I’m not exactly sure what you’re trying to say here Ravn,” Hwanwoong muttered.

Ravn took a few steps forward, until he was standing before Hwanwoong. “I’m trying to say that I’ve been falling for you since the moment I saw you, and I didn’t know what to do about it. I was too scared to say anything, and I went to Selene for advice and her approval,” he said.

“Approval for what?” Hwanwoong whispered, heart beating rapidly and blood rushing in his ears as he hoped… hoped that Ravn was trying to say what he really wanted to hear.

Ravn hesitated a moment, before grabbing one of Hwanwoong’s hands in his own shaking ones. “Approval to court you,” Ravn said softly, looking down at their hands. He looked up when Hwanwoong’s other hand cupped his cheek.

“You’re so adorably oblivious, aren’t you,” Hwanwoong whispered, smiling brightly.

“Huh?” Ravn muttered.

“I like you too. I just thought you weren’t interested when I would flirt, and you wouldn’t respond in kind. Or you would flirt, but then I would flirt back, and you wouldn’t even notice,” Hwanwoong said.

“Oh… really?” Ravn said, frowning, forehead scrunching as he tried to remember when Hwanwoong could have been flirting with him.

Hwanwoong chuckled and said, “Yes, really.”

“Oh! Well, that’s great then!” Ravn said with a grin.

Hwanwoong giggled and said, “Yes. Yes, it is. So, am I to understand you’ll be courting me?”

“Yes!” Ravn said excitedly.

“Okay! Then get out of my room,” Hwanwoong said with a smirk.

“What?” Ravn said, frowning.

“We can't be unchaperoned while courting,” Hwanwoong said teasingly.

“Oh! Right! Of course! Sleep well!” Ravn said, grinning and practically skipping from the room he was so happy.

Hwanwoong bit his bottom lip as he waited for the door to close behind the other man. When it had, he threw himself on the bed and muffled an excited scream into his pillow.

~*~*~*~*~


	2. Seoho

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kings Ravn and Hwanwoong meet with King Seoho to discuss an alliance.

Hwanwoong groaned as the bright morning sunlight spilled into the room from where one of the servants had opened it when Ravn woke earlier. He stretched lazily before slowly rising from the bed. As much as he wanted to continue to sleep, he knew he couldn’t let his new husband attend to all their kingly duties alone. He pulled the rope beside their bed, ringing for his attendants, and nibbled on the fruits that were left for him for breakfast as he waited for them.

When they entered his and Ravn’s room, he allowed them to dress him for the day. All the while, his thoughts were on the beautiful man he had just married. Their courting had lasted a whirlwind of two months, and Hwanwoong had been swept away by the charming man. He had already been well on his way to in love with the man before they started courting, so those two quick months had just sealed the deal.

When the servants were finished dressing him, he exited the room and smiled at Mingi who began following him down the hall. “Do you know where my husband is, Mingi?” he said softly. Calling the other man his husband still felt strange. It had only been a few short days since they had said their vows, so he supposed that was natural and would be something he’d become used to.

“I believe he is overseeing the design of a certain wedding present, my lord,” Mingi said with a secretive grin.

“Does everyone but me know what he’s building?” Hwanwoong said with a whine and a pout.

“Yes,” Mingi said simply, laughing softly at Hwanwoong’s disgruntled pout.

“Fine! Keep your secrets,” Hwanwoong muttered.

~*~*~*~*~

Ravn grinned as he walked towards the library where he was told his husband had gone when he woke up. He had spent the morning with the designers, picking out flooring and wall designs for the dance hall he was having built as a wedding present for Hwanwoong. As soon as the younger man had told him of his love for dancing, Ravn had known the dance hall would be the perfect gift.

“My love!” he said when he entered the library. He enjoyed yelling that every time he entered a room Hwanwoong was in, just to see the exasperated, yet fond, look Hwanwoong would get on his face.

“Good afternoon, my love,” Hwanwoong said, rolling his eyes at the huge grin on the other man’s pretty face.

Ravn sat down across from Hwanwoong and opened his mouth to say something else but was interrupted by Yonghoon slapping a map down onto the table. “Good! You’re both here,” the older man said. “I believe we should discuss which kingdom to approach next for the alliance, don’t you?”

Hwanwoong sighed, looking at Ravn and saying, “He has a point.”

Ravn sighed and said, “Fine. Which kingdom should we approach next?”

“Why not King Seoho,” Hwanwoong asked.

“I’m pretty sure he will be the hardest to convince since his kingdom has been happy being isolated for centuries, my lord,” Yonghoon said.

Hwanwoong hummed, frowning, and saying, “True, but his kingdom borders mine, and I’ve heard rumors that Seoho seeks to bring his kingdom out of isolation. I think he fears for his kingdom’s future without progress.”

“That…sounds promising,” Ravn said.

“Shall I send him a message, my lords?” Yonghoon said.

“Yes, please do, Yonghoon,” Ravn said with a smile.

“Very good, my lords,” Yonghoon said, grinning as he left, but not before seeing his king kiss his husband happily. Yonghoon was elated his king had found happiness. He had always worried the younger man would have to marry for duty, sacrificing a chance for love. But Selene had always loved King Ravn, so he really shouldn’t have worried with her manipulating things.

~*~*~*~*~

Seoho sighed, rubbing his temples as his advisor continued informing him of the things he was already concerned about. The numbers of the harvest had been decreasing every year for more than a decade. He had inherited a dying kingdom from his grandfather. What was worse, was he had no allies to go to for help. His family’s long-standing isolationism had damned their kingdom before Seoho had even been thought of.

“What can we do, Hongjoong?” Seoho muttered.

“My lord,” Hongjoong said softly with a grimace. “I don’t think there is anything we can do.”

Seoho dropped his head into his hands and sighed, fighting the burn in his eyes. He couldn’t cry. Not because he was with Hongjoong; he knew the man wouldn’t ever judge him; they’d been friends for too long. No, he couldn’t cry because he needed to be strong for his people. People who had been fighting for years to keep their kingdom afloat. People he had worked beside to sew the land that had been so harsh and barren lately.

He bit his lip and sucked in a steadying breath when there was an urgent knock at the door. “Enter,” he said softly.

“My lord! Urgent news,” Harin said.

Seoho frowned at the man’s anxious manner. Harin had been his personal guard for longer than he could remember, and the man was never rattled by anything. “What is it Harin?” Seoho said.

“Kings Ravn and Hwanwoong sent a message requesting a meeting to discuss an alliance,” Harin said.

Seoho choked on a breath and said, “What? Both of them?”

“They apparently recently married,” Harin said softly.

“This is exactly what we need, my lord,” Hongjoong said quietly.

“It’s almost like a dream. Too good to be true,” Seoho muttered.

“Or, Selene is finally answering your constant prayers,” Hongjoong said seriously.

“Maybe,” Seoho uttered, mind reeling slightly. He had abruptly gone from thoughts of doom for his kingdom’s future, to thoughts of hope. “I had started to believe she’d abandoned us.”

“Me too, my lord,” Hongjoong said, with a grim look.

“Let’s send them a response. I’m not sure what we can offer them, but if they’re willing to help us…” Seoho said, trailing off as his mind wandered towards a hopeful future for his people, that was beginning to feel more possible.

~*~*~*~*~

Hwanwoong accepted Ravn’s helping hand out of the carriage. He looked around at the castle they had arrived at and frowned. The place was beautifully built, but the grounds looked like they had seen better days. He had gotten so used to the perfection of Ravn’s kingdom, and how well his kingdom had been rebuilding since they married, that he had forgotten what a less prosperous kingdom looked like.

He smiled as King Seoho and his entourage approached them. “Welcome,” the older king said with a bright smile that met his eyes.

“Thank you for hosting us,” Ravn said with a warm smile.

“I felt it was an important gesture to show our seriousness in pursuing this alliance, considering my kingdom’s isolationist past,” Seoho said.

“We appreciate the chance to get to know you and your kingdom,” Hwanwoong said excitedly.

“You have a lot of other carriages with you,” Seoho said questioningly, worrying they would be hosting more people than he had anticipated.

“Ah! My husband insisted on gifts,” Hwanwoong said quickly.

“Gifts,” Seoho asked, tilting his head slightly in question.

Hwanwoong smiled brightly and said, “Yes! He insisted on bringing livestock, food, and a lot of other things as a sign of what we can bring to an alliance.”

“That’s very generous of you,” Seoho said softly, a small smile on his face. A little of the stress he had been feeling towards hosting two foreign kings being relieved with news that it would be easier to provide for them while they were here.

~*~*~*~*~

“Your people are so welcoming,” Hwanwoong whispered as he and Ravn continued following Seoho on the tour of his kingdom.

“I was worried they would be shy. There haven’t been any foreigners here in far too long,” Seoho said.

Ravn paused when a little girl with curly black hair ran up to him. “Hello,” he said with a warm smile. Her eyes widened and she thrust her hands out towards him, offering him a beautiful yellow rose. Ravn grinned and knelt down to her level. He gently took the flower from her hands and smiled. “Thank you. I love roses,” he whispered.

She smiled shyly, said, “You’re pretty,” and then ran off back to her mother who looked embarrassed by her daughter’s actions.

“You’re blushing,” Hwanwoong said teasingly, grinning at his husband’s obvious embarrassment. He loved how flustered his husband always got when he was told that he was pretty. It was so endearing to see the older man blush every time.

“I’m so sorry about that,” Seoho said softly.

“Don’t be. That was so sweet. And roses are my favorite,” Ravn said, twirling the rose between his fingers as he raised back up to his feet.

“They grow here wild,” Seoho said with a warm smile. The older man was really beautiful when he smiled.

“Really? I would love to see that,” Ravn said softly.

“I’m sure I could get Hongjoong to agree to show you,” Seoho said.

Ravn hummed agreeably as he looked around the market. He had begun to notice that Seoho’s kingdom was abundant in craftmanship and in precious gems and metals, but severely lacking in harvest. He was starting to see past the younger man’s bright façade, to see that this kingdom was hurting. Ravn couldn’t help but wonder if Selene had more reasons for this alliance than just defense against what her brother was planning.

~*~*~*~*~

Hwanwoong sat on the bed, watching his husband pace back and forth as he thought. They had turned in for the night a few hours ago, and the older man had been deep in thought ever since. Hwanwoong’s efforts to get his husband’s attention and get him to join him in bed had proved fruitless thus far, and Hwanwoong was becoming increasingly more worried by his husband’s distraction. He stood slowly from the bed and approached the older man. He laid a gentle hand on his husband’s arm and sighed gratefully when the other man paused his pacing and looked at him with a frown. “What’s wrong, love?” Hwanwoong said softly.

Ravn sighed and allowed his husband to drag him to sit on the bed. “Did you notice anything in the market today?” he muttered, sighing wearily.

“You mean like the lack of food?” Hwanwoong said, with a grave frown.

“Exactly that,” Ravn muttered.

“Is that why you’ve been pacing all night?” Hwanwoong said softly.

Ravn nodded and said, “I’ve been thinking about all the things we could do to help them.”

Hwanwoong smiled and said, “You, my love, have too big a heart. Go to sleep. We will ensure the alliance happens, and then we will help King Seoho make his kingdom as prosperous as ours.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Good afternoon,” Seoho said, smiling at the shorter man when he approached him in his large library.

“Hello,” Hwanwoong said with a sleepy smile.

Seoho hummed and said, “Your husband left early this morning to see the fields of wild roses. He seemed really excited. It was…”

“Cute?” Hwanwoong said with a fond chuckle.

“Yes,” Seoho said, laughing softly.

“He really loves roses,” Hwanwoong said conspiratorially.

“And what do you love? Besides him of course,” Seoho said softly.

“Dance,” Hwanwoong said simply.

“Ahhh, interesting,” Seoho said.

“And you?” Hwanwoong said.

Seoho grinned and looked around the library. “Books. Knowledge. I love learning new things. Which has gotten quite difficult, considering we haven’t gotten anything new in at least a century,” he said.

“Oh, so you’re a scholar then?” Hwanwoong said, impressed.

“I guess you could say that,” Seoho said, grinning. “Oh! Here’s your husband now.” He looked up to see Ravn chatting with Hongjoong as they approached their table.

“Here you two are,” Ravn said, grinning as he stopped in front of their table.

“Did you enjoy the roses?” Hwanwoong said, smirking at his husband.

“They were amazing!” Ravn said, eyes wide and bright. “Also, this library is phenomenal.”

“Thank you! This is my favorite place in the castle,” Seoho said with an eye-smile.

“I can see why,” Ravn said seriously.

“My lord, King Ravn was telling me that he does his own gardening, and how abundant his kingdom’s harvest is. I thought he may be able to help with our harvest,” Hwanwoong whispered into Seoho’s ear so only he could hear.

Seoho nodded and looked at Ravn, saying, “May I speak to you in private, your majesty?”

“Of course,” Ravn said, meeting Hwanwoong’s eyes to make sure he was okay alone for a while longer today.

“Go! I’ll find something to do,” Hwanwoong said, shooing Ravn away.

“Ah! Show him my great grandmother’s dance hall, Hongjoong,” Seoho said as he led Ravn out of the library.

~*~*~*~*~

Seoho motioned for Ravn to sit down in front of his desk as he gathered the records for the last decade of harvests. He spread the documents out on his desk and motioned for Ravn to take a look. “I’m sure you noticed in the markets, but my kingdom’s harvests haven’t been very abundant,” he said softly as the older man looked over the documents with a small frown.

“And you’re trusting me with this information,” Ravn said, raising his head to meet Seoho’s gaze questioningly.

“Hongjoong mentioned your kingdom’s abundant harvests and that you yourself are an accomplished gardener,” Seoho said slowly.

“You hoped I could take a look and help you,” Ravn asked, looking back down at the documents seriously.

“Yes,” Seoho said simply, with a hopeful look at the older man. He was encouraged by the fact that Ravn hadn’t immediately told him no.

“Alright,” Ravn said, looking up at Seoho with a smile. “Tomorrow morning, take me out to the fields, and I’ll take a look.”

“Thank you so much,” Seoho said with a relieved sigh.

“Don’t thank me yet. I can’t guarantee I can help you,” Ravn said softly.

“Still!” Seoho whispered emotionally. “You’ve given me some hope.”

~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Ravn was kneeling down, inspecting the soil of the fields with a small frown. He looked up at a nervous-looking Seoho and said, “Do you rotate the crops each season?”

“We have seasons where we let some of the fields lay fallow, if that’s what you mean?” Seoho said with a frown.

Ravn stood and said, “No. Each season you should grow different crops in each field. It allows for the nutrients in the soil to get replenished and just increases productivity. I can also give your builders a design for a better irrigation system.”

“Do you think that will help?” Seoho said hopefully.

“I hope so,” Ravn said with a small smile.

“Thank you for this. I owe you so much,” Seoho said seriously.

“Not at all,” Ravn said with a grin. “It’s good faith for our alliance.”

“Well, if this works, and there is anything we have that you need, or that we can do for you, we will include that in our agreement, yes?” Seoho said with a grateful grin.

“Sure,” Ravn said softly, with a warm smile.

~*~*~*~*~

Seoho paced his study. He wasn’t sure how long he had been pacing, but he was sure, by the way Hongjoong was getting antsier by the door, that it had been a few hours.

“My lord…are you alright?” Hongjoong said softly.

Seoho sighed before flopping down in his chair. “I’m so confused, Hongjoong,” he muttered softly.

Hongjoong moved to sit across from Seoho and said, “What are you confused about?’

“King Ravn,” Seoho said simply.

“About him giving us help without wanting anything in return?” Hongjoong said with an eyebrow quirked.

“No. I think…I think I’m falling for him. Which is just stupid because he’s madly in love with his husband!” Seoho hissed, resting his head in his hands.

“Oh…” Hongjoong said softly.

“Yes…Oh!” Seoho said, scrubbing his face roughly. “What do I do?”

“I honestly can’t say, my lord. I can’t say I’ve ever dealt with something like that,” Hongjoong muttered.

“I’m going to spend the night at the temple, I think,” Seoho said, standing with a sigh.

“My lord…” Hongjoong said, standing quickly. He meant to stop his king and convince him to get some sleep first, but the devastatingly confused, lost look on the man’s face convince him to let him go.

~*~*~*~*~

Ravn sat back on the bed, watching as his husband puttered around the room, getting ready for bed. His mind had been conflicted for days. He loved his husband, but somehow, he found himself falling for Seoho’s eye-smiles and sweetness. He startled when Woong was suddenly right in front of him, sitting on the bed by his knee.

“Are you okay, love?” Hwanwoong whispered, resting a hand on Ravn’s knee.

Ravn took a steadying breath and met Woong’s eyes. He placed his hand over the one Woong had on his knee and said, “I need to confess something, love.”

“What is it?” Hwanwoong said.

Ravn swallowed thickly, working up the courage to tell Woong what he had been feeling. “I’m so sorry, love. But…I’ve been feeling…attracted to King Seoho,” Ravn whispered.

“Oh…” Hwanwoong said softly.

“Oh?” Ravn muttered, looking at Woong questioningly.

“Yeah…oh. I thought you were going to say something terrible,” Hwanwoong said with a smirk.

“What?” Ravn muttered, frowning.

Hwanwoong laughed and said, “Another case of just how oblivious you are, my love. It’s one of your many charms.”

“I’m so confused. I thought you’d be angry with me. Why aren’t you angry?” Ravn muttered.

“Because I’m attracted to him too, and I can tell he feels the same way about us,” Hwanwoong said, cupping Ravn’s cheek in his hand.

“Oh…” Ravn whispered.

Hwanwoong rolled his eyes and said, “Yeah, oh.”

“Should we do something about it,” Ravn asked quizzically.

“Relationships like that aren’t strange in my kingdom. Especially for political reasons,” Hwanwoong said.

“There is precedence for it in my kingdom’s history as well, and I’m starting to wonder if this was part of Selene’s plan all along,” Ravn said softly.

“Maybe it is part of her plan. Let’s get some sleep, and we’ll figure this out tomorrow, okay?” Hwanwoong said with a small smile.

“Okay, my love,” Ravn said, grabbing Hwanwoong by the waist and dragging him down to lay beside him.

~*~*~*~*~

Ravn sat on the bench under the huge oak tree in Seoho’s garden. He had his eyes closed and was just enjoying the cool breeze on his face. He startled as someone sat down beside him. He opened his eyes and smiled nervously when he saw Seoho sitting beside him. “Hello,” Ravn said softly.

“Hello…I…wanted to talk to you and your husband about something important,” Seoho said with a frown.

“Oh, okay. I’ll go get him?” Ravn said hesitantly, standing slowly.

“Meet me in my study?” Seoho said softly with a nervous smile.

“Of course,” Ravn muttered before making his way inside the castle. As he walked, the world seemed to tilt around him. His heart was pounding painfully against his sternum and his breath was choking in his throat. The look on Seoho’s face when he said he wanted to talk to them hadn’t looked good, and Ravn did what he usually did. Jumped to conclusions.

He opened the door to his and Woong’s room and stumbled in. Hwanwoong was already awake and finished dressing and turned to smile at him when he heard the doors open. The smile on his face dropped when he took in the sight of him. Woong rushed forward and helped him to sit in one of the armchairs.

“Love? What’s wrong,” he asked with a frown.

Ravn swallowed thickly and said, “Seoho wants to speak to us.”

Hwanwoong sighed and pinched his cheek. Ravn’s eyes widened and he stared at his husband. “And you, my beautiful, idiotic husband, jumped to conclusions as you’re want to do,” he muttered. He rolled his eyes as Ravn just continued gaping at him. “You have such a big heart, and you love so deeply. It’s an attractive quality. Sometimes overshadowed by your penchant for thinking the worst, especially regarding your own happiness. Stop fretting needlessly, and let’s go talk to Seoho.”

~*~*~*~*~

Seoho paced as he waited for Ravn and Hwanwoong. He had spent most of the night before in Selene’s temple. She had listened to him rant about his feelings and his fears regarding them, before politely telling him to shut up and listen to her. She had told him something she said she hadn’t even told Ravn when she had tasked him with seeking these alliances. She told him that everything that was happening, and would happen in the near future, was fated. The Fates had already woven their tapestry and there was nothing they could do to stop it. Instead, they could embrace it and be happy. And she had promised they would be happy.

When Seoho had seen Ravn basking in the gardens, under his great grandmother’s tree, he had known his decision. Now, he was nervously awaiting the moment when he would lay his heart and soul bare to two men who didn’t know what he did about their future together. He just prayed that they felt the same way about him, and that fate really was working in his favor.

“Enter,” he said when he heard the soft knock at his door, and he sat down behind his desk.

The two men sat across from him and Hwanwoong smiled and said, “You wanted to speak to us?”

“Yes. I was up most of the night, seeking counsel from Selene,” Seoho said slowly.

“What for,” Hwanwoong asked, squeezing one of Ravn’s hands in both of his when the older man stiffened beside him.

“I’ve been worried for a while now. About feelings I had been developing. For the two of you. I needed guidance,” Seoho said plainly.

“And did you find the answers you sought,” Hwanwoong asked nervously.

“I had worried just the mention of my feelings would upset you both, but she assured me all would be well. And I see now she was correct,” he whispered with a hopeful smile.

Hwanwoong huffed and said, “Am I going to be the only one in this relationship that isn’t hopelessly oblivious?”

Ravn choked on a half sob, half laugh and lowered his head to look at his lap. “It seems like it, love. You’ll have to reign in two hopeless men now.”

Hwanwoong sighed exasperatedly, but smiled and said, “It looks like it.”

~*~*~*~*~


	3. Leedo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How they meet Leedo.

The sun was setting, and the sky was awash with oranges and pinks, as the townspeople packed up their market stalls for the day. Everyone paused as they heard the thundering hoofbeats of approaching horses. Someone in the market gasped as they caught sight of the horsemen headed their way, and everyone scrambled to bow as they noticed the blonde man that was in the lead. King Leedo was an impressive figure, sitting atop his strong black horse.

The king nodded at his people as he passed them on his way to Selene’s temple. He and his horsemen traveled the kingdom to protect their expansive borders, but whenever they stopped in a major city, his first stop was always the local temple to Selene. When they arrived at the temple, Leedo dismounted, and left his horse in the capable hands of his advisor, Sangyeon, and made his way into the temple. He stopped in front of Selene’s statue, and knelt to pray.

“Leedo,” Selene whispered, smiling softly at the man.

“My lady,” Leedo said, standing slowly.

“I’m glad you’ve come to see me. I have a task for you,” Selene said.

“Of course, my lady. What can I do for you?” Leedo said.

“I tasked King Ravn with forming an alliance with the surrounding kingdoms, to defend against my brother and the forces he is raising. You will be the hardest for him to approach because you are constantly on the move, so I’d like you to reach out to him,” Selene said.

“King Ravn and I have the strongest military forces in the area,” Leedo said slowly, trying to see if there was more to her request than just that. She always had ulterior motives.

“Yes,” Selene said simply with a serene smile.

Leedo hummed thoughtfully and said, “Okay. I’ll send a message, but I’m fully expecting there to be more to this request than just an alliance for the sake of defense.”

Selene laughed and said, “I can never get anything past you, can I?” She smirked before disappearing.

Leedo huffed out a laugh before turning to leave the temple. He didn’t know what her actual intentions were, but an alliance with King Ravn was too good to pass up. Together, they could defend their lands from any force that he was aware of existing right now, and more than that. It was a powerful thought that he couldn’t really resist, considering he also had King Keonhee’s kingdom to defend.

~*~*~*~*~

Seoho sat in the garden, watching Ravn as he tended to his roses. He stroked his fingers through Hwanwoong’s hair as the man dozed with his head in Seoho’s lap. Just a short month ago, Seoho never could have imagined a future where he was without stress, and where an alliance with a prosperous kingdom could carry his people through until their harvests were good enough to feed his people again.

“What’s on your mind, love,” Ravn asked as he pruned the dead or wilted roses.

Seoho sighed and said, “Just about how grateful I am.”

“Grateful for…” Ravn said questioningly, watering the roses.

“Well, on a grand scale? Selene. But really, I’m grateful for you and Woong,” Seoho whispered.

Ravn hummed, moving over to the bench Seoho and Woong were on. He lifted Woong’s legs and sat with the younger man’s legs in his lap. He traced Seoho’s face gently with his fingers and said, “I’m definitely beginning to think there is more to this grand alliance than what Selene originally told me.”

“Isn’t there always,” Seoho said with a chuckle.

“I guess so,” Ravn said, glancing down at their husband still sleeping across their laps.

“You know it’s your fault he’s this tired, right?” Seoho said, grinning.

Ravn frowned and said, “How so?”

“He’s been spending all his free time in that dance hall you built for him,” Seoho said with a fond smile.

Ravn quirked a brow at Seoho and said, “What about you?”

“Me?” Seoho said with a coy smile.

“Yes, you. Sneaking off to the library at odd hours,” Ravn said with a grin.

Seoho huffed out a laugh and said, “I can’t help it. You made it so cozy for me, and there is so much to learn.”

Ravn rolled his eyes at his husband’s obvious love of all things scholarly. He couldn’t say he shared the same enthusiasm, so he had been happy to change up the library for his husband’s use, and he was happy his family’s large collection of books was getting some use for once.

“My lords?” Yonghoon said as he entered the gardens to see all three of the men he was looking for sitting together.

“What is it, Yonghoon,” Ravn asked, frowning as Hwanwoong stirred awake and sat up slowly, blinking sleepily.

“King Leedo sent a message,” Yonghoon said seriously.

“He reached out to us?” Hwanwoong muttered sleepily.

“Yes. He said Selene told him of the alliance,” Yonghoon said.

“Well, this certainly makes our job easier,” Seoho said.

“Alright,” Ravn said, lifting Hwanwoong’s legs from his lap and standing. “Let’s respond to King Leedo’s message.”

~*~*~*~*~

Ravn stood quickly from his desk when Yonghoon announced that King Leedo had arrived with a few of his horsemen. When he reached the entrance hall, both of his husbands were already there greeting King Leedo.

“Ah, here’s our husband now,” Hwanwoong said, smiling as Ravn approached them.

“Welcome, your majesty,” Ravn said, bowing his head to Leedo.

Leedo bowed his head in return and said, “Thank you for hosting me while we discuss the alliance.”

“We’re more than happy to have you here,” Seoho said with one of his beautiful eye smiles.

“Thank you,” Leedo said with a small smile.

In Ravn’s opinion, the younger man should always smile. It softened his face, which otherwise was quite intense. “Dinner is about to be served. Why don’t we eat while my servants help yours bring your things to your rooms?” Ravn said.

“That sounds perfect. It’s been a long day on horseback,” Leedo said, voice softening gratefully.

~*~*~*~*~

Leedo hummed appreciatively as he watched King Ravn’s men train. He could see why no one ever tried to invade his territory or go to war with him. His forces had a reputation for being well-trained, well supplied, and loyal to a fault to their king. A king who supposedly would lead them into battle, not have them fight his battles while he was safe at home.

He had observed the man gardening and looking innocent and beautiful, and now he observed him as he trained with his men. He was every bit the general Leedo had expected from the stories he had heard about the older man. Watching the infamous king general with his men made Leedo even more sure that this alliance was the right decision.

“He is a sight to behold when he’s fighting, isn’t he?”

Leedo turned his gaze to see that King Hwanwoong had approached at some point while he was engrossed in observing King Ravn training his men. “He’s an exceptional warrior,” Leedo said, looking back to see that King Ravn was dismissing his men for the day.

Hwanwoong hummed and said, “Among other things.”

Leedo frowned and watched as the younger man smirked at him before turning and sauntering away. That was definitely an odd thing for the man’s husband to say to another man.

~*~*~*~*~

Leedo entered the library slowly, looking around in awe of its majesty. He had heard King Ravn had been making oases for his husbands, but he hadn’t realized how beautiful the place could be. And hopefully, he would be allowed to add to it. He had brought a lot of books he thought King Seoho may be interested in. he had heard the man was quite the scholar.

“Oh, hello,” Seoho said with a kind smile as Leedo approached his table.

Leedo smiled as he saw all the books and papers spread across the table in front of the older man. “Hello. I was hoping to find you here,” he said.

“Oh?” Seoho said.

“Yes, I brought some books from my kingdom as a gift,” Leedo said, motioning Sangyeon and Sunwoo forward with the crates of books that he had brought. “I hope they can be of use to you.”

“Oh!” Seoho said enthusiastically, as he stood to look through the books. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” Leedo said with a warm smile, before leaving the ecstatic man to go through the books alone.

~*~*~*~*~

Ravn hummed contentedly as he tended to his roses. He looked up when he heard the whinny of a horse and his eyes widened as he took in the sight of King Leedo’s broad, unclothed back as the man brushed his horse outside of the stables. Ravn gulped as he watched the younger man’s muscles flex as he worked. He sucked in a steadying breath and ran into the castle, away from such a tempting sight. At this point, feeling attracted to one of the kings Selene had asked him to make an alliance with wasn’t surprising. No, now it was expected, and he now believed that this had been Selene’s real goal all along.

He made his way to the library where he knew he would find one of his husbands. Hwanwoong was a bit more unpredictable than Seoho at this time of day. When he entered the library, he was happy to see that Seoho was sitting on the window seat with Hwanwoong taking his nap with his head in Seoho’s lap.

“Oh, hello, my love,” Seoho said, smiling as Ravn approached. His smile fell when Ravn groaned and collapsed to his knees, head coming to rest against Seoho’s side. Seoho dropped his book and patted Ravn’s head, saying, “What’s wrong?”

“Selene is evil,” Ravn muttered.

Seoho scoffed and said, “What makes you say that?”

“She set us up,” Ravn whispered.

“What are you talking about,” Seoho asked, grinning at his husband’s dramatics.

“She asked me to make this alliance, knowing we’d all be attracted to each other,” Ravn mumbled.

“Are you feeling attracted to King Leedo,” Seoho asked softly.

“Yes,” Ravn said, groaning.

Seoho chuckled and said, “About time. Hwanwoong and I have been wondering how long it would take for you to figure it out.”

Ravn looked up and pouted at Seoho, “You figured it out before me?”

“Of course we did,” Hwanwoong said, sighing and sitting up, no longer able to pretend he was asleep.

“So,” Seoho said with a grin. “Can we finally approach King Leedo about our attraction, and Selene’s real reason for the alliance?”

“Now that Ravn has finally figured it out, yes,” Hwanwoong said with a smirk.

~*~*~*~*~

Leedo stood from his bath and grabbed a towel to dry off. He grabbed his purple robe and pulled it on, tying it at his waist. He sighed as he dried his hair, thinking about the events of the past few weeks that he had been in King Ravn’s kingdom. The interactions he’d had with the three other kings, when they weren’t discussing the alliance, had been eye opening. He could understand why the three of them had fallen in love with each other. Ravn was beautiful, innocent, and generous, but strong and an amazing warrior. Seoho was by far the smartest man Leedo had ever met, and his eye smile was too adorable for words. And Hwanwoong? The man was observant and moved with the grace of a man who had wanted to be a dancer, not a king.

Needless to say, Leedo had fallen for the three men before he realized what was happening. The feelings had crept up on him. He had always been good at keeping emotion out of political interactions, but these three men…Leedo rubbed his face and sighed. He looked up when there was a knock at the door. “My lord, are you finished?” Sangyeon said.

“Yes, what is it,” Leedo asked.

“King Ravn and his husbands would like to speak to you,” he said.

“Send them in,” Leedo said, sitting on one of the armchairs in front of the fire.

“Your majesty, I hope we aren’t disturbing your evening,” Ravn said as he and his husbands entered Leedo’s room.

“Not at all,” Leedo said, motioning for the three men to join him, sitting in front of the fire. “What can I do for you?”

The three men sat on the sofa opposite Leedo, and Hwanwoong smiled at him and said, “We would like to discuss something important with you.”

“Oh?” Leedo said, raising a brow in question.

“Yes,” Ravn said, not meeting Leedo’s gaze.

Leedo frowned. He could tell the older man was nervous, but he couldn’t begin to guess why. “Well then, what would you like to discuss? Is it something you’d like to change in the terms of the alliance,” he asked.

“In a manner of speaking,” Seoho said softly.

“Okay…” Leedo said slowly, hoping to prompt them all to give him a little more information to work with.

“The three of us have discussed how we have all found ourselves attracted to you,” Hwanwoong said in a matter-of-fact manner.

“Oh…” Leedo said softly, eyes widening in shock. He had not expected that. He had only just come to terms with the fact that he had been feeling an attraction to each of the three other kings, and that he wouldn’t be able to act on it because the three were obviously extremely happy together. Now, they were telling him they all were feeling the same way towards him.

“For us, this just seems inevitable now because we have fallen for each other one after the other,” Hwanwoong said.

“We understand if you don’t feel the same though,” Seoho rushed to say, with a nervous look at Leedo.

“But please consider it,” Ravn whispered, continuing to avoid meeting Leedo’s gaze.

“I don’t know what to say,” Leedo whispered, rubbing his face.

“Can you honestly say you haven’t been feeling the same way towards all of us,” Hwanwoong asked with a knowing smile.

Leedo sighed and said, “No, but I wasn’t going to act because I didn’t want to ruin what you three have together.”

“But it won’t be ruining it, will it? We came here to make clear our intentions to court you,” Hwanwoong said seriously.

Leedo choked on a laugh and said, “You want to court me? I don’t think so.”

“So, even though we all feel the same, you don’t want to pursue this,” Hwanwoong asked with a frown.

“I didn’t say that. You won’t be courting me. I’ll be courting you. In the ways of my people,” Leedo said with a soft smile.

“Really,” Ravn asked softly, finally raising his gaze to meet Leedo’s hopefully.

“Really,” Leedo said, smirking at the grins that formed on all three of the other kings’ faces.

~*~*~*~*~


	4. Keonhee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys approach Keonhee about the treaty.

Leedo hummed as he brushed down his horse, Dal. As he took the time to pamper and bond with her, he reflected on the past few months. It had been a long time since he had stayed in one place for so long, but he hadn’t found himself bored, antsy, or claustrophobic. He had sent most of his men back to patrol their borders, while he stayed behind to court the three kings he had fallen for. He smiled as he remembered the two months he courted the other men. Hwanwoong had reacted to the courting like someone who was used to, and thoroughly enjoyed, being courted. Seoho had been shy, but gracious. And Ravn… Ravn had been shy, timid, and had acted like Leedo’s attentions were too good to be true. Ravn’s reaction was a startling contrast to the man’s usual self-confidence and had made Leedo even more determined to spoil the man.

He had never before found anyone that he wanted to court, and then suddenly he had found three. Leedo would never admit it out loud, especially where either Hwanwoong or Seoho could hear, but he had been giddy about courting the three other men. Sangyeon had made fun of his nervousness and enthusiasm, and Leedo had retaliated by making sure Sangyeon was too busy to spend any time with Sunwoo. It had only taken a couple of days before Sangyeon came whining to him like a puppy, begging for forgiveness so he could get back to Sunwoo. Which was basically just the older man following the younger man around and pining. Why the other man hadn’t started courting the younger yet, Leedo really couldn’t say.

Leedo had always felt that when he finally found someone he was interested in; he would make his intentions clear and court them properly. Hence why he had been so direct with the other three men, since their revelation of shared feelings. He had been quite formal with his courting, since that was the way his father taught him; make your intentions clear and make the focus of your courting feel spoiled, special, and like you can provide for them, especially emotionally.

He smiled as he thought about how well the courting had gone and how they had finally said their vows and completed the treaty between their kingdoms. Now that they have, they were going to have to approach one of the other two kings soon. More than likely they would approach King Keonhee before King Xion. King Keonhee would be easier because Leedo already had a strong relationship with his kingdom after all the years he had defended the younger king’s kingdom. He sighed, leading Dal back to the new stables Ravn had built for Leedo’s horses, and decided to go tell his husbands they should send a message to King Keonhee.

~*~*~*~*~

Leedo was heading to the library, the easiest place to find at least one of his husbands, when someone jumped on his back. He grunted and grabbed Hwanwoong’s legs so the younger man wouldn’t fall.

“Hey love,” Hwanwoong said brightly.

Leedo huffed a put-upon sigh and said, “Hi Woong. Where are our husbands?”

“Well, you’re going in the right direction. Ravn went to spend some time with Seoho in the library since he hardly leaves his books,” Woong said, humming and nuzzling Leedo’s neck.

“Good,” Leedo muttered, entering the library and heading over to Seoho’s usual window seat. He smiled when he saw Ravn curled up against Seoho, sleeping as Seoho read his book. The fingers of one of Seoho's hands was trailing through Ravn’s hair absently. He looked up at them as they approached, and smiled, putting his book aside and gently shaking Ravn awake.

“What’s wrong,” Ravn asked sleepily.

“I wanted to suggest approaching King Keonhee next,” Leedo said as Hwanwoong jumped off his back.

“Oh, good idea. You should send the message since your kingdoms already have a sort of alliance,” Seoho said.

“Alright, I’ll send it today,” Leedo said, smiling softly at his husbands.

~*~*~*~*~

Keonhee was relaxing in the courtyard after a long day with his advisors. He looked up when he heard footsteps approaching him and smiled when he saw Chanhee approaching.

“My Lord, we received a message from King Leedo,” Chanhee said softly.

“Ah, finally!” Keonhee said, standing and taking the letter from Chanhee. “I was hoping the recent alliances meant they’d eventually approach us too.”

“As soon as King Leedo was part of the alliance, it was a sure thing for us,” Chanhee said.

Keonhee looked up from the letter and said, “Not necessarily. I was worried because they’re so powerful militarily. Just with kings Leedo and Ravn’s forces together, they have the biggest military force in the area. I thought they may invade and conquer instead of offering an alliance.”

Chanhee frowned and said, “Our kingdom and Leedo’s have too long a history.”

“I know that it was an irrational thought, Chanhee,” Keonhee said with a huff.

Chanhee smiled indulgently at his king's attitude and said, “Shall I send our response?” 

“Yes! As quickly as possible,” Keonhee said excitedly.

~*~*~*~*~

Leedo stood with his husbands waiting in the entrance hall for King Keonhee to arrive. Based on the information they had received from the younger man; he would be arriving soon. If he were honest, Leedo was nervous. He had always liked spending time with the younger king and considered him to be a good friend.

“My Lords, King Keonhee has arrived,” Yunho said before motioning for Mingi to open the doors so King Keonhee and his entourage could be led in by Sangyeon.

“Your Majesty, welcome!” Ravn said, bowing his head to the younger king.

“Thank you for reaching out to me,” Keonhee said with a huge smile, bowing his head to each of the four kings in turn. He was awed by the beauty of the kings he was finally meeting. He had already come to terms, long ago, with how unfairly handsome King Leedo was, but he had been unprepared for the assault of the beauty of the other three kings. The fact that the four had not only made an alliance, but also married, only made his attraction to them easier. Marriages like theirs were normal in his kingdom.

“Well, your trip here must have been long and difficult. Sunwoo will show you to your rooms, and our servants will help yours bring your things up. Then, we’ll give you a tour after you’ve had some time to rest,” Leedo said with a smile.

“Thank you, that plan sounds perfect,” Keonhee said graciously. He bowed his head to each of the other kings again, and then followed Sunwoo up the grand staircase towards the rooms that were provided for him.

~*~*~*~*~

Keonhee let his servants dress him in a new outfit. He had just woken from a refreshing nap and was more than ready to tour King Ravn’s palace, and to see the ocean. He had seen the ocean only once in his life, and he was eager to see it again. Coming from a mostly desert kingdom, where water was hard to come by outside of the capital, and where there were no large bodies of it, he was quite appreciative of water as a commodity, and this kingdom had plenty of it. Both salty and fresh. He startled when there was a knock at the door, and he smiled at Sangyeon when Chanhee let him in.

“My Lord, King Ravn would like to give you a tour,” Sangyeon said with a bow and a smile.

“Oh! Great! He has perfect timing,” Keonhee said excitedly, practically skipping towards the door.

Ravn smiled indulgently at the younger man’s enthusiasm and excitement and said, “Shall we go?”

“Yes, please!” Keonhee said warmly, falling in step beside Ravn, ignoring their guards following them. “I’ve heard so many tales of your kingdom’s splendor. None of them truly do it justice.”

Ravn choked on an embarrassed sound and said, “You’re exaggerating, I’m sure.”

“Not at all,” Keonhee said honestly.

Ravn cleared his throat nervously and said, “Why don’t we start our tour in the library.”

“Sounds perfect,” Keonhee said with a grin. He followed the older man through the halls, listening attentively as he explained different parts of the castle or just little stories about his life or his kingdom’s history. He already knew his original plan to court the four kings was the right choice, but he still wondered what he could give as a courting gift to this gorgeous man who seemed to have everything. The other three had been easy, but King Ravn…not so much. He would have to make some subtle inquiries, so he could begin the courting process once it was socially suitable. Meaning, once he was here for at least a week and had gotten to know the other men more. He would begin with Leedo, he thought. That would be easiest.

~*~*~*~*~

Leedo entered the stables for the first time in two weeks. He hadn’t had any time to visit since King Keonhee had arrived, and he had been missing Dal. He had finally been able to secure a little bit of free time to make a trip out to see her, so she wouldn’t think he had abandoned her. That horse could get a temper when she felt slighted. Luckily, she loved Sunwoo, who had been taking care of her in Leedo’s absence, so hopefully she wouldn’t be too mad at him. He came to an abrupt stop when he noticed an unknown mare and her foal in one of the stalls. She could only have come with King Keonhee if Leedo had never seen her before, and that made Leedo wonder why Keonhee would have brought a pregnant mare on such a long journey. Because that foal couldn’t be more than a week old at the most.

“Oh! I was hoping I’d find you out here,” Keonhee said brightly as he entered the stables and saw Leedo. “Though, I was hoping I’d catch you before you saw them.” He gestured towards the mare and her foal nervously.

“Why?” Leedo said with a frown.

“Because they were supposed to be a surprise gift,” Keonhee said softly with a pout.

“A gift,” Leedo said questioningly.

“A courting gift?” Keonhee said hesitantly, trying to gauge how Leedo would respond.

“Courting…” Leedo said softly, trailing off as he didn’t have any words at the moment. He was too shocked by the revelation. He knew he shouldn’t be, since it had become pretty clear that this was what Selene had planned all along.

“I…plan to court all of you, of course. But…I thought it would only be right to begin with you since I’ve known you longest,” Keonhee said, nervously wringing his hands and biting his lip softly.

Leedo grabbed Keonhee’s hands gently to still them, and said, “I have to discuss this with the others, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t accept.”

Keonhee grinned and softly said, “Really?”

Leedo chuckled and said, “Yes, really. Now, tell me about these horses, won’t you?”

~*~*~*~*~

Leedo smiled as Hwanwoong crawled up the bed to lay against his chest sleepily. He massaged the younger man’s scalp as he waited for Ravn to join them. Seoho already lay beside him, book in hand. Seoho sighed, closing his book and placing it on the table beside the bed.

“Is he working late again,” Seoho asked softly as he cuddled up to Leedo’s side.

“Yeah, one of us may have to go drag him away if he doesn’t show up soon,” Leedo muttered. No sooner had he said that, than Ravn opened the door softly and entered quietly.

“Sorry,” he said softly as he quickly changed to his sleep clothes. “Lost track of time again. Sunwoo came and ‘lectured’ me.”

“He’s so fiery,” Hwanwoong muttered.

Leedo chuckled and said, “Always has been.”

Ravn lifted up the blankets and got into bed, cuddling close to Leedo, opposite Seoho. “Now, you had something to discuss with us?” he said softly, laying an arm over Woong’s back and resting that hand on Seoho’s arm, effectively keeping them all in his arms.

Leedo hummed softly and said, “King Keonhee presented me with a courting gift today.”

“What?” Seoho whispered, eyes widening.

“And he intends to present each of you with your own,” Leedo said.

“I hope you told him yes,” Hwanwoong muttered.

“I told him I’d discuss with you first, but I doubted you’d refuse,” Leedo said.

“Good,” Hwanwoong said, groaning as he moved to get under the covers, and then returned to his place on Leedo’s chest. “Now, bed. I’m tired.”

They all laughed, and Ravn moved to blow out the last of the candles lighting the room before returning to bed with his husbands.

~*~*~*~*~

Seoho was sitting in his usual window seat in the library, when he heard footsteps approaching him slowly. He looked up to see King Keonhee approaching him, and he put down his book with a smile. “Good morning,” he said softly.

“Good morning!” Keonhee said with a bright smile.

“What brings you to the library this early in the day,” Seoho asked.

“You actually,” Keonhee said nervously.

“Oh?” Seoho said, tilting his head in curiosity.

Keonhee motioned Chanhee forward and took the large leather-bound book from him. He held the book out towards Seoho and said, “This book originally belonged to your kingdom. It was given as a gift a long time ago. I thought, you’d like a piece of your history back.”

Seoho took the book from Keonhee’s hands and opened it. It was handwritten in an old language which most people couldn’t even read any more, let alone speak. He could, but he was one of the rare few who could. “Wow, this is amazing,” Seoho muttered.

“I thought it would be the perfect courting gift, if you’d accept? I know Leedo already accepted on behalf of all of you, but I’m old-fashioned. I’d like a formal acceptance from each of you,” Keonhee said nervously.

Seoho grinned and said, “Of course I accept!”  
“Great!” Keonhee said, grinning brightly. “I’ll just…leave you to your reading.” He blushed, bowed his head slightly to the older man, and then dashed out of the library, leaving a grinning Seoho behind.

~*~*~*~*~

Hwanwoong wiped sweat from his brow as he left the dance hall. He had a huge grin on his face, as he always did after a full day of dancing. He turned the corner and bumped into a taller someone, who reached out to steady him. He looked up and smiled sheepishly at King Keonhee. “Sorry about that,” he said softly.

“Don’t worry about it,” Keonhee said sincerely, smiling brightly at the younger man. “I was actually looking for you.”  
“Oh?” Hwanwoong said, quirking a brow questioningly. He had wondered who King Keonhee would approach after Seoho.

Keonhee pulled out a small box from a pocket and held it out for Hwanwoong to take. Hwanwoong took the box and opened it gently. Inside was a set of exquisite jewelry pieces. He gaped and looked up at King Keonhee questioningly. “My grandmother’s jewelry. They were a gift from Selene for my grandmother’s service as one of her priestesses. I heard rumor that you were a follower of Seleme before your father even died, and I thought someone brave enough to do that, deserved something like this, gifted from her originally,” Keonhee said softly.

Hwanwoong gulped and said, “That…okay, I’m actually speechless for once. That never happens.”

Keonhee giggled and said, “That’s okay. Just tell me if you accept my courting.”

“I accept. And I will cherish this gift,” Hwanwoong whispered.

Keonhee grinned and said, “As long as you promise to actually wear them. They’ll look stunning on you.”

“I promise,” Hwanwoong whispered wistfully.

~*~*~*~*~

It had been almost two weeks since King Keonhee had presented Hwanwoong with his courting gift, and Ravn was starting to get nervous. He knew his husbands would tell him he was being irrational as usual, but he couldn’t help but fear the worst. It was just part of who he was. He could feel his anxiety growing with each day, even as he tried to talk himself out of it. He sighed and stopped pacing, dropping heavily onto his chair. He jolted as a knock echoed through his study and he motioned for Yunho to open the door.

“Your majesty, I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” King Keonhee said questioningly as he entered the older man’s study.

“Of course not,” Ravn said, sitting up straighter and motioning for the younger man to sit across from him. “How can I help you?”

Keonhee bit his lip softly and placed an envelope on the older king’s desk, pushing it towards him. “This is my courting gift to you,” he whispered.

Ravn held in a relieved sigh as he gently grabbed the envelope and opened it. He looked inside and frowned. He held is palm open and tipped the envelope’s contents into it. Six little seeds fell out into his palm and he looked up at Keonhee and said, “What are these?”  
“Before coming here, I hadn’t known what to get you. You pretty much have anything you could ever dream of. But, when you were giving me the tour, I knew what I could give you. My kingdom has an extremely rare rose color. They only grow in my kingdom. I sent a message home as soon as I turned in for the night that first day. That’s why it took so long for me to come to you after Hwanwoong. I was waiting for these to arrive,” Keonhee said.

Ravn’s eyes widened and he looked reverently down at the seeds in his hand. “What color are the roses?” he whispered.

“Blue,” Keonhee said softly.

Ravn’s breath caught in his throat and he carefully put the seeds back in the envelope “I accept,” he said, meeting Keonhee’s gaze and smiling softly.

Keonhee let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding, and grinned. “Thank you,” he whispered.

Ravn shook his head and said, “No, thank you. This is the most amazing gift. Honestly.”

Keonhee smiled softly and said, “I’m glad I could give you something you seem to find precious.”

~*~*~*~*~

Ravn crawled into bed with his husbands and sighed wistfully. He was turning in early for once and it was nice to be able to lay his head on Seoho’s lap as the man read.

Leedo grabbed one of Ravn’s feet and began massaging it. “What are you so happy about,” he asked.

“King Keonhee obviously gave him his courting gift today,” Hwanwoong said from where he was changing.

“Ah, is that true,” Leedo asked, grabbing Ravn’s other foot.

“Yes,” Ravn said, sighing softly.

“I don’t know why you were so worried,” Seoho said, closing his book and placing it on the table.

“He’s a worrier, even when it’s irrational,” Hwanwoong muttered, crawling onto the bed and tackling Leedo back onto the bed so he could snuggle into his chest.

Ravn pouted and kicked Hwanwoong’s shin lightly. “I can’t help it,” he muttered.

“I know. Bless your heart,” Hwanwoong said, kicking Ravn back with a smirk.

“What did he give you,” Seoho asked, distracting Ravn from Hwanwoong’s teasing.

Ravn grinned and said, “Rare rose seeds from his kingdom.”

“Wow, really? He’s really serious,” Seoho said.

“Was that really in doubt? I mean look at all of us… Selene obviously wanted to play matchmaker for some reason,” Hwanwoong said, poking Ravn in the side with his foot.

Leedo hummed, dragging Hwanwoong out of reach of kicking Ravn. “Enough talk. Bed,” he said, smiling softly as the others all grumbled but blew out the candles anyway, before crawling under the covers.

~*~*~*~*~

Keonhee stared appreciatively at Ravn and Leedo sparring with Ravn’s troops. Leedo had ripped his shirt off after the first half hour, and Keonhee really couldn’t complain. The two older men were impressive to watch as they put the soldiers through their paces. He startled when Hwanwoong flopped down on the bench with him and laid down with his head in Keonhee’s lap.

“Like what you see,” Hwanwoong asked smugly.

Keonhee blushed and chuckled nervously. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was reading,” he said, waving the book in his hand in front of Hwanwoong’s face to prove his point.

“Sure, you were,” Hwanwoong said flatly. “I was watching you stare at them for the last ten minutes, and it looked like you had been staring for far longer than that.”

Keonhee pouted and said, “Fine. You caught me. But can’t I appreciate my soon-to-be husbands?”

Hwanwoong hummed and said, “Of course. Why do you think I originally came out here?’

Keonhee threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, I see. Teasing me for having the same guilty pleasure as you?” he said, poking Hwanwoong’s side playfully.

The younger man jumped slightly before batting Keonhee’s hand away. “Shhhh! The best part’s coming. Ravn’s going to kick Leedo’s ass, and then get all flustered and embarrassed about it. It happens every time. Like clockwork. It’s adorable.”

Keonhee smiled at the younger’s teasing tone as he talked about the two older men. He watched as Ravn did exactly as Hwanwoong had said he would, and it really was adorably endearing. If it had been wrestling or hand-to-hand, Leedo would have won hands down Keonhee was sure, but in swordsmanship… Ravn was second-to-none.

Keonhee had enjoyed courting all four of the other kings the past couple months, between discussions for the alliance and merging his kingdom with theirs. But he couldn’t wait to finally make the vows and sign the papers and make everything official. Then, they would have to discuss how to approach King Xion.

~*~*~*~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter~^^

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this. I will be writing how Ravn meets all of the members, and more stories leading up to Story 1 of this series.


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